3-Day Lima, Paracas & Ica Tour: Ballestas Islands & Pisco Route

The Ballestas Islands boat leaves at 8am, and the route covers 650 kilometers across three days.

A 3-day guided tour from Lima visiting Paracas National Reserve, the Ballestas Islands, and Ica with two hotel nights included. Day one covers Lima's colonial center and coastal landmarks; day two combines a boat trip to see wildlife and rock formations, buggy rides and sandboarding at Huacachina lagoon, and tastings at Peru's oldest wineries on the pisco route; day three returns you to Lima. A professional guide in English or Spanish leads the group, and all transfers from your hotel plus breakfast are arranged.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: City Tour in Lima

• Arrival to Lima and hotel transfer
• Pick up from hotel at 2:00 p.m.
• Visit San Francisco church and catacombs
• See main square and changing of the guard
• Pass literature house and chocolate museum
• Visit coast: tomb, Christ of the Pacific, Southern Cross
• Return to hotel at 6:30 p.m.

Day 2: Ballestas Islands and Ica Tour

• Depart hotel at 4:30 a.m. to Paracas
• Arrive Bay of Paracas at 7:45 a.m.
• Boat tour to Ballestas Islands at 8:00 a.m.
• Return and take photos of Paracas Bay
• Travel to Huacachina oasis in Ica
• Buggies and sandboarding for 1 hour
• Lunch by the lagoon
• Walk and photos at Huacachina lagoon
• Visit pisco route and taste wines and pisco
• Transfer to hotel in Ica

Day 3: Return from Ica to Lima

• Pick up from hotel at passenger's time
• Transfer to Lima Jorge Chavez Airport
• End of service

The experience

The tour picks you up from your Lima hotel at 2pm on day one for a city tour through the colonial center. You'll walk through the San Francisco church and its catacombs, see the main square with its changing of the guard ceremony, and pass the literature house and chocolate museum. By late afternoon the route heads to the coast (Solar Hill, the tomb of the unknown soldier, the Christ of the Pacific) before returning to your hotel by 6:30pm.

Day two starts early: pickup at 4:30am for the drive to Paracas Bay, arriving by 7:45am. At 8am you board a boat toward the Ballestas Islands to see sea lions, penguins and guano birds on the rock formations. After two hours you return to photograph the bay itself, then drive inland toward Ica. By midday you're at Huacachina lagoon, where you board buggies for an hour of sandboarding on the dunes. Lunch sits by the lagoon, then the afternoon moves to the pisco route. You visit a historic hacienda and taste wines and pisco in some of Peru's oldest wineries before heading to your hotel in Ica.

Day three is the return: you're picked up at a time you choose and driven back to Lima, ending at Jorge Chavez Airport or your hotel. The entire route travels in a private vehicle, and both hotel nights, breakfast, and all transfers are included in the price.

What’s included

• Regulated transportation in a private vehicle.
• two hotel nights (one in Lima, one in Ica).
• professional guide in English or Spanish.
• breakfast at both hotels.
• boat trip to the Ballestas Islands.
• buggy and sandboarding at Huacachina.
• pisco route tasting at a historic hacienda.
• all transfers from your hotel to the airport, tour sites, and back.

Information

Lasts 3d, runs every day with no fixed time, from US$ 468 per person, with a live guide in English and Spanish, as a private tour and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesEvery day

GroupPrivate11 group tours ›

Live guideEnglish and SpanishOther languages ›

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

AgesAdult (18 to 55 years) · Under 18: can't be booked

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical effortInfant seats availableNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by Rap Travel Peru

Is this one for you?The guide speaks English or Spanish, so choose the language you're comfortable following for three days of commentary and logistics. This tour suits travelers with moderate fitness who can handle early starts, long driving days, and the physical demands of boat travel and sandboarding.

Traveler reviews

4.75★★★★★★★★★★

16 verified traveler reviews

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

What exactly will I see on the Ballestas Islands boat trip?

The Ballestas Islands boat departs at 8am and takes you out to see sea lions, penguins, and guano birds living on the rock formations in the bay. The trip lasts about two hours, and you return to photograph Paracas Bay itself before heading inland.

Is sandboarding at Huacachina included, or do I pay extra?

Sandboarding is included in the tour price. You'll spend an hour on buggies and sandboards at Huacachina lagoon on day two, with lunch afterward by the water.

What happens on the pisco route visit?

The pisco route takes you to a historic hacienda where you taste wines and pisco from some of Peru's oldest wineries. This happens in the afternoon of day two, after Huacachina.

Do I need to arrange my own flights to and from Lima?

Yes, international and domestic flights are not included. The tour includes all ground transfers between the airport, your hotels, and the tour sites, but you book your own flights separately.

What's the physical demand like on this tour?

The tour involves early mornings, long driving days (650 kilometers total), boat travel, and sandboarding. A moderate level of fitness is needed. The operator does not recommend this tour for travelers with spinal injuries, poor cardiovascular health, or pregnant travelers.